The Chronicles of Mason Smith Short: When The World Stopped Turning
by Drewmoviefan
Summary: Mason Smith has been living in Watership Down for a week and started to have dreams, about the day that America changed... forever.


Author's Note: What follows on this short story, takes place after _The Chronicles of Mason Smith: Return of Watership Down_. Tyler Damien is an original character and belongs to Supernova2015, thank you for letting me using the character, as well an idea for scene in this short story. A scene shows a dramatized sequences of the attack. This short story is the for 17th Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks, even though I wanted to publish it a day early. It is also dedicated to the families and friends who lost their family members, loved ones, and friends on September 11th, 2001.

When I was asleep in my burrow in Watership Down, I began to dream that I was in a plane. I was sitting down presumably in first-class of an airplane. Than two men jumped out of their seats and went after two flight attendants. Another man stood up with some sort of materials of a fake bomb. A passenger stood up until another man came two seats behind him stabbed the passenger. The four men went to the cockpit and subdued the pilots. I was paralyzed into my seat. It was a surprise that nobody seen me, until the fifth man walked from the behind and made his way to the cockpit. He than turned around and saw me. He looked Egyptian in his early thirties. He came to me and gave me the most blank and emotionless face like he had the devil's eye. He opened his box-cutter.

Than a transition was made, I looked around to see I was on a another flight. Passengers were frightened, even a few children were scared. Two muscle hijackers: one had a skinny head and another was rounded like he was obese; they were brothers without a doubt, were guarding the economy-class. The plane started to make a descent, the two men hurried back to front of the plane. I looked out the window and saw The North Tower in flames. I than saw the undamaged South Tower and the plane started to make an angle and I heard a woman scream, before we crashed and burst into flames.

The third transition it was a hour later, I was in a smoking room. I see a small group employees and executives huddled in a room, where a meeting was supposed to happen. Most of the people were on ground presumably dead from the smoke inhalation. I started to feel the smoke coming towards me. The heat was was billowing the room competently that a person or two than leaped from the room. The building started to shake seconds later and the room collapsed around me and I was pulled down.

Another transition came, but a hour earlier, when I was sitting a plane in economy, where more children than my second transition were more panicked that adults tried to comfort them. I didn't see any hijackers, except I looked at the window and saw the plane was near to the ground, as it was knocking down freeway lampposts and hitting a generator. I rushed to see in the cockpit to see five men huddled and shouting in Arabic: "Allah Akbar" or in translation "God is Great". The plane was near the ground and smashed through to the Pentagon and the plane incinerated.

A final transition came, but minutes after the Pentagon crash, was made that I was in the back of the plane. Passengers and flight attendants started to gather around, handing out improvised weapons: forks, knives, coffee pots filled with hot water, seating cushions, and one passenger held a fire hydrant. After a passenger said, "Are you ready? Okay, let's roll." The passengers and the rest of the crew started to head up to the first-class with a tray cart. The rolled and rocked left and right. I even felt the plane tilting, until the plane was back in it's balance. The revolted passengers and crew made a kill at least one of the muscle hijackers and saw that his hair was a bit spike forwards. The passengers and crew started to bash at the door to break until shouting from the cockpit were heard. As they recited their death chants, some of the passengers managed to enter the cockpit. However, the pilot hijacker, who had glasses on with a light blue button collared shirt, pulled the plane down to the ground, as if a aerial drone launched a predator missile and it was hitting it's target. But the plane plowed to the ground near to the woods. The plane crashed and incinerated, the flames made me feel like I was about to be burned alive and incinerating, until everything went black.

* * *

I woke up in sweat. My new mate, Rose was fast asleep, by my side. I stood up, scratched my ears and decided to have a quick walk, before trying to go back to sleep. It's been a week after I moved into Watership Down and its been three days that I have been having this dream. For the last three nights, I would go out and try to stay close to the warren's entrance and watch the moon sink and the sun rise, without waking up anybody.

This morning after I woke up, I hopped to watch the moon lowered and the dawn setting for a sunrise. I still hear the voices and the planes' engines, until the explosion. The _Owsla_ went by and headed out for their patrol, as I refused to join for three days in the row. I headed back to the warren, returned to burrow, and tried to get some sleep from a short nap. However, I couldn't be able to sleep if I could have the same dream again. So I decided to remain in the burrow, until the _Owsla_ returns.

In a twenty minutes, I slipped into a dream that I was in the lobby of one of the towers. Everyone was in apparatus, paramedics were attending the injured, firefighters entered the towers to head up, while officers were in post to guide employees and office executives out of the building. I exited out out the South Tower and I tried to go around the North Tower. While I was going around, I saw bodies were lying around outside of the North Tower. I than I saw someone jumped from the higher floor of that building and I decided to run away, without thinking that he could land around where I was and I didn't want to see impact when the person hit the ground. After I'm by the fire trucks and ambulances, I stopped and looked back at the South Tower's burning smoke and flames, exited out faster and faster, until it started to collapse. I started to run and some how after running a five steps away, I froze that I couldn't move forward, instead I could only turn back and watch the debris plummeted around me.

I woke up in sweat once again. I looked around to see I was back at the down. I rubbed my eyes to be fully awake. Rose came into our burrow.

"Hello sleepy head, you been by yourself recently." she said.

"I haven't been sleeping well for three days." I rubbed my eyes again with my paws.

Her smile drop, she realized something was wrong. She hopped to my side and nuzzled me. "What's wrong?"

"I been having the same dream for the last three nights. I can't be able to get some good sleep, even for a short shut-eye." I answered.

"Is it about your family?"

"No." I said as I shook my head. "It was more of a flashback of an event that I felt like I was there."

"What was it?" she said.

I didn't want to share because it was more direr. I turned away and hopped away without wanting to hurt her feelings. She just watched me hop away and curious.

* * *

When I got outside, I started to eat some _flay_ grass, until I couldn't eat anymore. I started to hear the flashbacks again. I had a hand-made guitar made of sticks and strings of vines. Tyler made me the guitar as a "Welcome Home" present. I started to strum the guitar.

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _That September day?_

Tyler came out from the warren listening to his Zune HD with his headphones. He saw me strumming the guitar. He hopped over and turned off the music.

"You been quiet... something wrong?" he asked.

I stopped strumming the guitar and set it to the side. "Nothing much. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Tyler said.

"You said you lived in Manhattan right?" I asked.

"That's right."

"Did you learn anything about September 11th attacks or someone told you about it?"

He than lied down on the grass. "I was told about the towers once stood in Lower Manhattan, until seventeen years ago. However, years after you probably already knew that Tower One got rebuilt."

I nodded. "About that, I even learned about the September 11th Attacks and became obsessed that I ended up dreaming that I was there just last night."

"I couldn't imagine what it'll be like." he said.

"I wished I couldn't imagine it, as for the people that had to go through with it." I added. "I even seen the men in my dreams and I know the nineteen names that I can't get out of my head."

"Really?" Tyler surprised.

"It's true, every time I seen their faces, I remember who they're." I continued.

Around that time, Hazel and some of the rabbits came out of the warren, including Rose. They came towards us, as they sat down and listened to our conversation.

"You knew these men personally?" Tyler asked.

I chuckled. "No, but I always search their names and see the images. I read about what kind of men they were."

"What are you talking about?" Hazel asked.

We turned towards him. "It's regarding to a dream I been having for the last three days and I couldn't sleep."

"Years ago, before Mason and I was alive. Some bad humans hijack commercial airplanes and used them to crash into buildings." Tyler added.

The rabbits were disbelief. "What would cause 'men' to fly these 'airplanes' and hit into... buildings?" Dandelion doubted.

"I already know from you that man would go after each other for 'witches', but that's another level what 'men' could do to each other." Bigwig also doubted.

"You already know that rabbits would do the same thing! Remember: General Woundwart and Vervain from _Efrafa_ and _Darkhaven_ , and Cowslip from The Warren of Shining Wires. They could have affect in a catastrophic way that you can't forget." I exclaimed.

Bigwig started to think and nodded. "You're right."

"Where you there when it happened?" Fiver asked.

"No, but I learned so much about through research. Until now, I have been dreaming that I was there." I said.

"Why don't you tell us about it?" Hazel asked.

"I can't. It's more shocking that you couldn't imagine that anyone could have done it." I hesitated.

"We've been through worst." Hawkbit said. "Never hurt to tell us what happened."

I sighed with taking a breath. "If I told you this, you cannot forget about this event. You could not."

Hazel and others looked at each other and agreed.

* * *

 _On Tuesday, September 11th 2001:_

 _It was a normal Tuesday that us 'humans' or to say Americans were starting their morning to go through daily lives. However, in that morning, nineteen Arabian men of four teams, were entering airports and boarded along with follow passengers and crew on the planes. And these men, were terrorist operatives for "A_ _l Qaeda"._

"Who are they?" Bigwig asked.

"Al Qaeda is a terrorist organization that was originated, a year before the Soviet-Afghan War ended. They used spread their actions by terrorism, by bombing Western and homeland buildings, shootings, even murdering human beings that are opposite of their beliefs, for supporting of America's involvement in the Middle East and especially any nation supporting Israel. Al Qaeda's beliefs were inspired from radical sects of Islam, coming from Salafism and using _jihad_ or in other words a 'Holy War'." Tyler explained.

While Tyler was explaining, the _Junior Owsla_ came out of the warren at that time and joined in to listen to the story.

"Another story?" Pipkin was thrilled.

"What is it about?" Gillia asked Tyler.

"Well... it's not a happy story, but it was sad day. A day that the world changed forever" Tyler answered.

The kittens sat down, while Gillia sat next to Tyler and I continued the story.

 _Around between 8 o'clock and 8:15 a.m., two aircraft: American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were airborne, both from Logan Airport in Boston. And in twelve minutes after take off, two muscle hijackers attack two flight attendants, a passenger stabbed, and the hijackers breached the cockpit and took control of the aircraft. Passengers were in surprise and have no clue what was going on. Two flight attendants called their company and described the situation on board._

 _At 8:20 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 from Dulles Airport at Washington D.C. took off. The hijacked American 11 turned southward to started to head towards New York. Sixteen minutes later, after being in traffic of aircraft waiting to take off, United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, New Jersey took off. Around that time, United 175's captain reported to New York Air Traffic Controller that they heard suspension transmission from American 11, in which it was the last communication between New York Air Traffic Control and United 175. Seconds later, United 175 was hijacked minutes later it went off the airplane's flight plan and headed for New York._

The kittens were starting to feel a bit scared. It was not like the other stories that I told them before, even Gillia started to hug Tyler.

 _Since thirty-two minutes after the hijacking of American 11, at 8:46 a.m., the plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, killing 81 passengers and 11 crew, along killing workers of the building between the impact of the 93rd and the 98th floor, also trapping others above the impact. People in New York became shocked as they saw the tower burning and smoke coming out of the building. Emergency services, in Manhattan, headed their way to the World Trade Center to help evacuate the burning building. The people above the impact, who were trapped and desperate, about 200 people started to jump from the building to escape the flames and the smoke billowing the floors until before the North Tower collapse._

 _Around the minutes after the impact of the North Tower, at 8:51 a.m., hijackers in American Flight 77 made their move and turned the plane around, heading back to Washington D.C.. Seventeen minutes after the crash of Flight 11, at 9:03 a.m., as it was also seen on television worldwide, with pedestrians, and emergency services waiting for their orders, United Flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center between the 77th and the 85th floors, trapping more people in the building, killing 56 passengers and 9 crew on board. More emergency services arrived after South Tower was struck, and more orders were issued to evacuate both towers. The world began to realize that the United States was under attack by terrorists._

The rabbits became appalled from hearing about the second plane, that they started to cry while the does cuddle next to their mates. I felt Rose's tears falling down onto my shoulder. I even noticed that Gillia cried and she couldn't stop. Tyler nuzzled and hugged her, in effort to comfort her.

 _Twenty-one minutes after both towers were hit, Air Traffic Controls started issuing warnings of cockpit intrusions to all aircraft, including United 93. United 93's pilot messages for asking to confirm for latest message. Before they could get the message, a team of four hijackers took control of the aircraft a minute later. Passengers started to call their love ones' and families, as well their love ones' and their families notify them that two planes crashed into the Twin Towers._

 _As United 93 started to head for Washington D.C., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m., killing 58 passengers and 6 crew, along with killing 125 military personal and civilians. Minutes after the crash, the three buildings were being evacuated. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower was been burning since 56 minutes after the impact, the tower gives way for the collapse. The North Tower collapse later in about 105 minutes after American 11's crash at 10:28 a.m._

 _A minute before the collapse of the South Tower, passengers and crew took a vote and decided to revolt against the four hijackers. The passengers and crew gathered improvised weapons: like forks, knives, coffee pots filled with hot water, including a tray cart. They rushed towards first class and were stopped by the hijackers rocking the plane, as they knew that the passengers and crew would try to retake the plane. After getting back on their balance, the heroes managed to attack one of the muscle hijackers and presumingly killing him. They started to breach into the cockpit, the pilot hijacker started to doing a nose dive and crashed into a empty field near Shanknville,_ _Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m., killing 37 passengers and 7 crew. The heroic actions was nearly incredible that the passengers and crew saved the countless lives of others, foiling the hijackers' plan to crash into the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. About 3,000 lives were lost. However, the number was 2,996 people were killed during the attacks including eight children, along with 10 expected mothers ._

* * *

The rabbits were horrified and devastated after I finished the story. The does were, continued to cry on their mates' shoulders. The bucks just closed their eyes and shook their heads in disbelief and despair. I could even swore I saw Bigwig even started to tear up.

"That was pretty much the dream that I had, reliving the events as if I was there." I said.

"I don't even know what to say." Hazel said.

"I understand Hazel, not everyone has the words to describe about this event." I added.

Fiver shook his head. "Even if I had a vision of this disaster, we couldn't be able to stop it."

"You're right Fiver, however the warnings were passed along, but ignored. Only if the United States government and their agencies listened and followed up with these warnings that they were given, it could have been at least prevented or stopped in the last minute. Instead, they think the warnings were rubbish and didn't want to waste their own time and that is the reason why they failed." I added.

"Like humans that destroy rabbits, they would never rest until they spoiled the Earth." Fiver added.

I nodded my head as a tear fell from my eye. Hazel and Rose placed their paws on my shoulders. "The most shocking thing to know much about 9/11, I could even name the nineteen perpetrators."

"You could even name them all?!" Hazel shockingly questioned.

"Who are they?!" Bigwig asked as he wiped his tears, with a bit of anger.

I took a deep breath and said it in order of the four planes: "On American Flight 11: **Mohamed Atta** (pilot hijacker), Abdulaziz al-Omari, brothers Wail and Waleed al-Shehri, and Satam al-Suqami. United Flight 175: **Marwan al-Shehhi** (pilot hijacker), Fayez Banihammad, Mohand al-Shehri, and brothers Hamza and Ahmed al-Ghamdi. American Flight 77: **Hani Hanjour** (pilot hijacker), Khalid al-Mihdhar, Majed Moqed, and brothers Nawaf and Salem al-Hazmi. Finally for United Flight 93: **Ziad Jarrah** (pilot hijacker), Ahmed al-Haznawi, Ahmed al-Nami, and Saeed al-Ghamdi."

"Wow! That's awsome that you could name them all!" Tyler complemented.

"Those were the men, who planned this attack?" Hazel asked.

"More or less on three pilot hijackers, but the real architect of this plan was done by Osama bin Laden." I answered.

"I would rip his ears out and send him to the _Black Rabbit of Inle'_!" Bigwig raged.

"I would always wanted to kill him myself too. However, just desserts was done ten years after the attack, on May 2nd 2011." I added.

"What happened?" Bigwig's rage went into submission.

"The United States' Navy Seal Team 6, were sent to Pakistan and infiltrated a compound where he was hiding and he was shot dead." I explained.

Bigwig let out a big relief. "Thank _Frith_! If you said he was alive still, I would wanted to kill him."

"Almost everyone wanted to." I added, feeling Bigwig's anger.

"Are there more attacks like this back your old home?" Rose asked.

"It has been, but not much catastrophic, but still devastating. Some from another group and/or also some were lone-wolf, but driven by inspiration." I said. "At the same time, I could feel that Vervain had his own anger on why he wanted to destroy us, other than being influenced by Woundwart. Even though, you all summed about Woundwart's motivation about taking over different warrens, including and mostly yours."

"He did have his own motivates, even Vervain." Bigwig said.

We all agreed. "The reason more importantly after I told you this event." I changed the topic.

"We should not never forget about: the victims, who lost their lives, the survivors, the heroes (police, firefighter, and paramedics, including the Passengers and Crew on Flight 93), who perished, and the families and friends who lost their loved ones and finally the survivors. Do you agree?" I said.

The rabbits were solemnly in silence. Bigwig stepped forward with his right paw raised. "I would not forget."

"Neither would I." Hawkbit and Clover agreed with their paws raised also.

"I won't." Dandelion committed as well, as more rabbits, including Kehaar and Hannah, joined in.

"I would not forget." Rose said with a hug.

"You know I won't." Tyler said.

"I cannot forget." Gillia joined.

Hazel and Fiver were the last ones. "We shall never forget."

"Thanks guys." I smiled. We all joined in a group hug, including the kittens jumped in for the hug.

"What song were you singing?" Tyler asked.

"It's a tribute song by Alan Jackson, _Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)_." I said.

"I would like to hear the song." Rose suggested.

"Everyone would love to hear it also." Hazel, with the others agreed.

I started to strum the home-made guitar, as Tyler searched his Zune HD player and started to play the song.

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _That September day?_  
 _Were you in the yard with your wife and children_  
 _Or workin' on some stage in L.A.?_  
 _Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke_  
 _Risin' against that blue sky?_  
 _Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor_  
 _Or did you just sit down and cry?_

 _Did you weep for the children, they lost their dear loved ones_  
 _Pray for the ones who don't know?_  
 _Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble_  
 _And sob for the ones left below?_  
 _Did you burst out with pride for the red, white, and blue_  
 _And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?_  
 _Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer_  
 _And look at yourself and what really matters?_

 _I'm just a singer of simple songs_  
 _I'm not a real political man_  
 _I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you_  
 _The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran_  
 _But I know Jesus and I talk to God_  
 _And I remember this from when I was young_  
 _Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us_  
 _And the greatest is love_

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _That September day?_  
 _Teachin' a class full of innocent children_  
 _Or drivin' down some cold interstate?_  
 _Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor?_  
 _In a crowded room did you feel alone?_  
 _Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her?_  
 _Did you dust off that Bible at home?_

 _Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened_  
 _Close your eyes and not go to sleep?_  
 _Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages_  
 _And speak to some stranger on the street?_  
 _Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow_  
 _Go out and buy you a gun?_  
 _Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'_  
 _And turn on I Love Lucy reruns?_  
 _Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers_  
 _Stand in line to give your own blood?_  
 _Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family_  
 _Thank God you had somebody to love?_

 _I'm just a singer of simple songs_  
 _I'm not a real political man_  
 _I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you_  
 _The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran_  
 _But I know Jesus and I talk to God_  
 _And I remember this from when I was young_  
 _Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us_  
 _And the greatest is love_  
 _I'm just a singer of simple songs_  
 _I'm not a real political man_  
 _I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you_  
 _The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran_  
 _But I know Jesus and I talk to God_  
 _And I remember this from when I was young_  
 _Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us_  
 _And the greatest is love_

 _And the greatest is love_  
 _And the greatest is love_

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _On that September day?_

After I finished the song, everyone were amazed and applauded by the song. Soon after, we had a circle of a Prayer group to pray for the families and friends who lost their loved ones. Later, we went back to the warren and had a feast together like a family. At night we didn't even leave the Honeycomb, that we all slept together in one big chamber. As everyone was asleep, I was next in between Rose and Hazel. I nuzzled them both and looked up and thanked God that I have family to love from His blessings.

Author's Final Note: If you like this 9/11 tribute story, feel free to read another 9/11 tribute story called _Miracle on the 92nd Floor_. See you around!


End file.
